May 4, 2010

TWD- Burnt Sugar Ice Cream

If you're thinking my Burnt Sugar Ice Cream looks a lot like Cookies and Cream, you're right. It's been absolutely insane around here! Things started out pretty easy. I saw a huge (half gallon I think) container of cream at Safeway for $1. Really. I snapped it up, thinking of all the delicious, artery clogging dishes I could make and then remembered I had ice cream to make for Tuesdays with Dorie! Then, a million commitments got in the way, everyone in my house got sick, but me (which meant no sleep for anyone really), and it was suddenly late Monday and we were having dinner at my parents. With the help with the kids I knew it was the only chance I'd get to make the ice cream. So I put the caramel on and let it do it's thing. It took forever. And then, I knew it was time. I'm really bad about taking it off before it gets dark enough but I was patient. And suddenly, my dad was taking out the baked beans (recipe coming, wow, they're so good) and in that three seconds it burned. I must have looked really disappointed, though I stand by my feeling that I was just tired, because everyone all at once told me it was okay and we could make it again. The ice cream bowl was frozen, the cream was measured, we were good to go, but it wasn't meant to be. I scooped out some Cookies and Cream and called it a night. I've heard this ice cream is amazing, though, so after a good night's sleep I'm going to try again.

Come back next week for a nice French Berry Tart (one of my favorite desserts of all time- no illness, kitchen disaster, or mommy fatigue will stop me!) See the real ice cream here. It'll make you hungry. And please, if you've ruined caramel more than you've made it, let me know. I could use a boost (or some advice apparently!)

20 comments:

You can't ever go wrong with cookies and cream. I'm impressed that I did not burn my caramel, I was pretty sure that I would, having not made it before. Good luck when try #2 comes around! Reading your About Me section had me thinking you graduated from BYU as well...if that's right then we have the same basic training under our belts. :) I still think basic food prep was one of the best classes I took all through my bachelors and masters years.

Caramel: heat sugar and then add butter and stir like crazy. Then it hardens fast so add just a little milk and stir like crazy. Evrleryone burns it at least a few times getting the hang of it. For us it takes two people: one to stir snd one to throw in the milk/butter.

Bummer about the caramel:( I am one of those people who just walks away when making caramel because it takes too long, and I'm impatient. Usually by the time I wander back it only needs a couple more minutes.

Don't feel bad, it took me forever to successfully make caramel and even now, it's sort of hit or miss. I'd gladly trade my burnt sugar ice cream for your cookies and cream - turns out we're not really caramel ice cream people and would definitely have preferred cookies and cream :)

Bummer. It is good. But I for sure had to have chocolate with it.Too funny that you photographed the cookies and cream. Try this again though. I like that it's the same ingredients as vanilla ice cream, just "burnt". ;)

I've burned caramel on a number of occasions, so don't worry you aren't alone there! You just have to watch it like a hawk and keep stirring. Take it off the heat the second it is ready. Don't give up on the ice cream, it is worth the effort! You did have a yummy substiute in the cookies and cream though! I can't wait to make the tart for next week :-)

Oh, that caramel is just so infuriating sometimes! I really can't tell you how often I've burned it (including one time when our ADT alarm was set off as a result of burned caramel and I had to explain to the dispatcher who called us that we were really okay). You are a trooper to even attempt caramel with the week you've had! Hope that everybody is on the mend and that you've caught up on some sleep (to the extent that is possible with cute littles in the house!)

Sugar can go from beautiful to black in the blink of an eye. Sorry yours went to the dark side. It's especially challenging when there are distractions and other cooking projects happening at the same time. The Cookies & Cream looks like a pretty good stand in.

First thing I learned is to get a BIG bowl of ice water at the side of the stove before you start the caramel. I'm always afraid to take it too far so I usually pull it off early. I am insane so I stand over it and watch it and don't do anything else while it's going but I still usually stop it early.